Re: [DML] Non-ethanol fuel

[Farrar Hudkins <fhudkins@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 3:57 PM, David Griffith <dgriffi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I'm wondering what can be done on a DeLorean to make it more compatible
> with ethanol.

David,

This is why I keep asking for information. An auto mechanic told me a
couple of years ago that the only thing I need to worry about with
ethanol is that for a while I will need to change the fuel filter more
frequently -- since the ethanol will pick up deposits left by
old/dirty gasoline over the years. He actually said that ethanol would
bring an advantage over gasoline: since it burns cooler, you wouldn't
have to worry as much about burned valves. I asked him about ethanol
and rubber, and he said that if ethanol exposes a leak, then the leak
needed to be fixed anyway because it was old rubber. He said if you're
putting a vehicle in long-term storage, drain the tank. Well,
everybody I know does than anyway. It looks to me like all we have to
do is not neglect our cars and we'll be okay.

The only thing I know for certain off the top of my head is that
ethanol possesses fewer BTU than gasoline. I don't see how that could
do any harm -- besides which, its volatility is increased when mixed
with gasoline, mostly making up for the difference -- something I
don't understand but I've seen it repeated many times over by
scientifically-knowledgeable folks. Anyone on this list who
understands the science of that, please feel free to speak up, for I
am curious how this works.

Anyway, as far as I can tell... Most DeLorean owners are so finicky
about their hoses, gaskets, seals, and such, that preventive
maintenance would stop any ethanol-based problems from occurring
before they had a chance to get started. Also, since most DeLorean
owners' cars are fuel-injected, they don't have to worry about
adjusting their floats and needles like owners of carbureted vehicles.
Here in the south, E-10 is everywhere -- I've yet to see a sign
advertising "pure gasoline." I've had E-10 in my DeLorean since I
bought it, and so did the previous owner who, from what I can tell,
almost never touched the fuel system. If ethanol were going to wreck
the engine, it surely would have done so by now -- but my problems
with K-Jet were caused by anything but the fuel itself.

I still await empirical evidence that ethanol will damage older engines.

Farrar Hudkins
#2613


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